Top: The
58 separate market stalls have been updated and enlivened.
Bottom Left: Grand Central Market, Broadway elevation
Bottom Right: View from Hill Street of Grand Central Market, Lyon
Building and parking structure
"In
Grand Central, Levin had many clients–developer, governmental
and community constituencies–hovering over the project, and dozens
of merchants on whose lives she would have an impact. The project's
success is attibutable to Levin's ability to fashion distinctive architectural
solutions to complex problems, as well as to her ability to listen–and
hear–the objectives, needs, and limitations of all of her clients."
Ira Yellin, Developer |
 |
Grand
Central Square
Completion 1987 - 1995
Downtown Los Angeles
The Yellin Company
611,000 square feet
The project included rehabilitation and renovation of the 1890's landmark
market, the two-story Lyon Building into offices, and construction
of a new 11-tier parking structure. The 611,000 square-foot transformation
was intended as the staging ground for the revived downtown residential
and shopping district.
Located within the downtown historic core, the parking structure is
designed to complement the historic features and proportions of the
adjacent buildings. Organized classically with a base, middle and
cap, the canopies, lighting elements and sculptural steel connections
reference these regulating lines. Steel-plate bison heads, inspired
by the 1917 Million Dollar building's terra cotta version, support
the glass canopies.Peeling off layers of earlier modernizations, the
architects have updated and enlivened the market's 58 separate stalls.
Skylights which had been blackened out since World War II were reopened
and covered with louvers to diffuse the light and protect the produce.
Vintage neon signs marking each stall have been restored and new ones
were created. |
